First visit to Red Bowl Grill & Bar, a new addition to the neighborhood, and they made a very good first impression. I'm not sure exactly how long they've been open, but the Grand Opening banner is still flying out front and they're awaiting their liquor license, so things are definitely still fresh.
The space is tastefully decorated and retains a layout similar to the restaurants that previously occupied the location, although the kitchen is now closed off from the dining room. The bar has been updated with a new top, and there's an adjacent sushi counter. Even the restrooms received some attention during the renovation, and I have to give special recognition to the urinal splash guards. It's the little things.
The staff was extremely friendly and attentive, and the menu offers a broad mix of Asian favorites covering Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine. For my inaugural visit, I stayed on the Chinese side and ordered pork fried rice and beef ho fun. With the liquor license still pending, water was my beverage of choice. Probably not a bad thing.
While waiting, complimentary fried wontons with duck sauce arrived at the table. I could have stopped right there and made a meal out of them. They were fresh, light, and crispy, while the duck sauce delivered just the right amount of sweetness.
Fortunately, I kept going.
The pork fried rice was excellent, loaded with plenty of juicy char siu, onions, and peas. It had great flavor on its own, but a request for chili oil took things up another notch. Fair warning, the chili oil has some legitimate kick.
The beef ho fun was equally enjoyable, with those luscious wide noodles accompanied by plenty of beef, scallions, and bean sprouts. My only minor observation involved the texture of the beef. It was very tender, perhaps a little too tender for my preference, with a slightly soft texture that made me wonder how long it had been velveted. Personally, I like just a bit more toothiness to the beef. Flavor-wise, however, the dish delivered.
After applying the chili oil, a little too enthusiastically, I was offered a complimentary peppermint mousse with chocolate sauce for dessert. Perfect timing. The cool, creamy dessert provided exactly what I needed to put out the fire.
Pricing was very reasonable, particularly considering the portion sizes and quality of the food. Between the attentive staff, nicely renovated space, and strong execution from the kitchen, Red Bowl appears to be off to an impressive start.
I'm already looking forward to visit number two, when I plan to venture over to the Thai side of the menu and sample one of their curries. If they continue operating at the level I experienced on this visit, I have a feeling Red Bowl will be sticking around.
And once that liquor license arrives, I'll gladly trade the water for something a little more interesting. read more